Axle-lubricator



(No Model.) I

W. E. TURNER & J. F. HUDSON.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM E. TURNER AND JAMES F. HUDSON, OF BENKELMAN, NEBRASKA.

AXLE-LUBRICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,008, dated May '7, 1889.

Application filed April 16, 1888. Renewed March 18, 1889. Serial No. 303,820. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM E. TURNER and JAMES F. HUDSON, of Benkelman, in the county of Dundy and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricators for Vehicles; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in lubricators for vehicles; and it consists in the combination of a skein or spindle having an oil well or chamber formed in its top, with a roller which is journaled in this well or chamber, so as to positively feed the lubricant to the thimble or box, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of our invention is to provide a lubricator for the wheels of vehicles and in which the oil will be positively fed against the inner side of the box or thimble as long as the wheel continues to'revolve, and thus keep the wheel always lubricated.

The accompanying drawing represents a vertical section of a lubricator which embodies our invention.

A represents the spindle, which may be made of either wood or metal, and B the skein, which is applied to the spindle when it is made of wood in the usual manner. In the upper portion of this skein is made an oilwell, 0, which will be of any desired depth and length, and which has its filling-opening D closed by means of a spring-actuated cover, G. This opening D is placed a suitable distance inward beyond the inner end of the hub, so that free access can be had to it at all times, and so that it will never be necessary to remove the wheel for the purpose of lubrication. The spring-actuated cover prevents dirt from falling into the opening D, as would otherwise be the case. Through the top of this oil-well G is made a suitable opening, H, and journaled upon the bearing or pivot I, which extends through the downwardly-projecting flanges or ears J, is the roller O,which will preferablybe made of some soft elastic material like rubber, and which is of sufficient diameter to extend from the bottom of the well 0 up through the opening H in the top of the skein and bear against the inner side of the box or thimble P. This roller 0, being made of an elastic substance, always springs outward and bears against the inner side of the box or thimble, and thus positively feeds the lubricant to the thimble as long as any remains in the well 0. By having the roller 0 bear positively against the inner side of the thimble the roller is caused to revolve as soon as the wheel is set in motion, and thus made to carry up the oil from the bottom of the well 0 against the in ner side of the thimble. As the thimble revolves the oil is fed to its inner side by the roller, is distributed throughout its length, and thus the wheel is always kept thoroughly lubricated. As long as any of the lubricant remains in the well 0 it will be fed to the thimble as soon as the wheel begins to revolve, but will not be fed out at any other time. The consequence is, the lubricant will never be wasted by leakage, and one filling of the Well 0 will last for a number of weeks.

In case the spindle is made of metal, then the well will be formed in its top in the same manner as it is here shown formed in the top of the skein.

Having 'thus described our invention, we claim- The combination of the skein having an oil-well, 0, formed in its top, the well being provided With an opening through its top and a filling-opening at its inner end, with the roller which is journaled in the well and which projects through the opening in its top, so as to bear positively against the inner side of the thimble, and thus caused to revolve when the wheel turns, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. TURNER. JAMES F. HU-DSON.

Witnesses:

J. F. MORGAN, J. W. ToMPsoN. 

